Classical New England's weekly music festival travelogue takes you to the Green Mountains of Vermont for the Manchester Music Festival.

To hear the program, click on "Listen" above.

The Manchester Music Festival encompasses more than the word "festival" usually implies. With year-round programs of both concerts and education, the organization is an integral part of the cultural life of Vemont.

Founded by Carol Glen and Eugene List in 1974 as the summer-only Southern Vermont Arts Center Music Festival, Michael Rudiakov assumed leadership of the festival in the 1980's, following the passing of the founders. Rudiakov transformed the festival, expanding both its educational scope and its calendar of activities.

In 2000, Michael Rudiakov passed away, and his son Ariel Rudiakov, a violist and conductor, took on the role of Artistic Director. Ariel Rudiakov's wife, violinist Joana Genova, is now the organization's Education Director.

The headquarters of the festival are in Festival House, the former Village Schoolhouse, which provides room for offices, rehearsals, meetings, and gatherings.

Festival House, the former Village Schoolhouse, now the headquarters for MMF

For information about travelling to Manchester for the concerts and activities of MMF, the State of Vermont maintains an excellent tourism web site. Manchester is located within Green Mountain National Forest, which has abundant opportunities for outdoor recreation, even as recovery from Hurricane Irene in 2011 continues.

Classical New England's weekly music festival travelogue heads to the Berkshires, where the Aston Magna Festival performs each summer. One of the pioneering festivals of early music, Aston Magna also performs in Waltham and the Hudson River Valley.

To hear the program, click on "Listen" above, and see a slideshow from festival performances below.

Celebretory concerts to commemorate four decades of Aston Magna begin on Jun 8, 2012, at Brandeis University in Waltham, Mass., and continue the next evening at Ozawa Hall on the Tanglewood campus in Lenox, Mass.

Concerts continue through early July in Waltham, Great Barrington, Mass., and Annandale-on-Hudson, N.Y.

Highlights this year include madrigals by Monteverdi, a concert devoted to J.S. Bach's music and pieces inspired by Bach, clarinet music by Mozart, and a Violin Extravaganza.

With four different locations for 2012, Aston Magna offers several options to experience early music.